Method and means for disintegrating pulp stock



H. I IEBECK 1,815,308

METHOD AND MEANS FOR DISINTEGRATING PULP STOCK July 2l, 1931.

Filed Aug. l0.. 1929 ////////////////%//////1imt Harry Lieb e ck.

Patented July 21, 1931'A f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY LIEBECK, OF SWARTHYIORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 SCOTT PAPER COM- PANY, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA' l METHOD AND MEANS FOR DISINTEGRATING PULP STOCK.

Application led August 10, 1929. Serial No. 384,820. I

The object of my invention is to provide a method and means adapted to thoroughly disintegrate wood and other pulp in baled condition into'paper stock in which the pulp is so fully subdivided that it is suitable for use in the head box of a paper making machine.

A further object of my improvements is to provide a disintegrating machine for handling pulp upon a large scale and with a minimum labor requirement and low cost.

My invention comprises a .large tank, preferably of concrete, containing water and having an inlet at the top through which wood or other pulp in baled condition may be deposited in its entirety (or in any other condition available on a large scale) into the water contentof thetank, the said tank having at its bottom or lower part a screened outletthrough which those portions of the pulp which are sufficiently subdivided may flow or be drawn olf and, with or without further subdividing treatment, delivered to the head box of a Fourdrinier machine or to the tank of a cylinder type paper making machine, and wherein the disintegrating tank is provided with a rotating shaft to which are secured a plurality of sturdy propellers operating to disintegrate-and subdivide the pulp into a condition suitable for use in a paper making machine, the said disintegrating propellers being preferably so arranged within the tank that the. iow of the currents due to them oppose each other and thereby cause a similar opposed flow of the pulp stock therein, to insure a more intimate mixture of'the pulp particles during their treatment.

My improved apparatus further comprises properly positioned battle plates extending transversely of the tank chamber and respectively above or out of alinement with the opposing propellers, with the result that the water and its associated pulp is caused to be brought into intimate contact and put under forced recirculation upward and over the baffles, thence downward beyond the baiiies, to be again acted upon by the disintegrating propellers.

My invention also comprehends minor features of construction which together with those above stated, are more fully. described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig.- 1 is a plan view of a pulp disintegrating apparatus Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 2a is a vertical section of a modified form lof pulp disintegrating apparatus; and Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified form of disintegrating propeller.

2 is a large concrete tank or vat, the same Y formed with filled corners 4 and 4a to prevent portions of the pulp 'from being held in corner pockets and thus removed fromcirculation. The tank or vat is provided centrally of its upper wall 3 with an intake port 5 through which the bales of pulp are thrown to be subjected to disintegration within the tank, the same being received upon the water which :fills the tank to approximately threequarters of its vertical depth. The bottom of the tank is provided with a discharge opening 6 whose upper part is covered with perforated plates 8 abutted at a slight angle and received in shouldered portions 9 of the concrete to position them and prevent them from spreading.

lThe support of the inclined plates 8 may be further assured by oppositely inclined supporting surfaces preferably formed in concrete, as indicated at 10, such supporting portions being arranged at opposite-sides of the opening 6. The size of the openings through the plates 8 determine the iineness ofthe pulp subdivision or disintegration before it can pass from the tank 2 in which the disintegrap tion takes place.

The water and pulpfrom the discharge opening 6 is conveyed therefromby a pipe 12 which may deliver its contents to any place desired. As shown, it delivers into the suction pipe 13 through av suitable valve 11. The suction pipe 13 connects with the intake of a suitable pump 14, whose delivery is through a pipe 15 leading to the head box of a paper making machine or to any other apparatus suchasa Jordan '(not shown) for further subdivision of the pulp.

A s the fluid with the pulp in suspension is continually passing out of the tank 2 through the pipe connections, suitable means for admitting additional water to the tank or vat 2 is provided, as indicated at 26. In this Amanner, the water level is maintained at the desired height.

Arranged longitudinally of the tank 2 and in its lower portion is a propeller shaft 16 journaled at 17 at one end of the tank and extending through a stuling-box 18 at the other end, said shaft coupled withan electric or other suitable motor 25 whereby the shaft may be rapidly rotated. Secured upon the shaft 16 are a plurality of disintegrating propellers 19 and 20. The propellers 19 have their blades at such an angle as to force a strong circulation of the fluid contents of the tank' 1n a direction indicated by the arrows4 and hence toward the middle of the tank.

The propellers 20 are likewise secured to thel shaft 16, but have their blades arranged at a different Obliquity to that employed in the propellers 19 and so as to propel the fluid contents in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrows, and, therefore, the fluid cure rentsA from these two sets of propellers are driven towardeach other with great violence and cause a thorough commingling of the fluid contents acted upon by the propellers 'applying pressure thereto to force the uid through the perforated plates 8 downward through the discharge and* at the same time causing other portions of the violently moving iiuid contents to rise upwardly within the middle of the tank, at 23, and to return in opposite directions toward the end portions of the tank, and thence downward to be again operated upon -by thepropellers.`

To facilitate the proper circulation ofthe Huid contents by the propellers, I prefer to arrange above them transverse baille plates 21 and 22, the planes of which baflles aie substantially parallel to the shaft 16, said baille plates providing between their under-surface and the bottom of the tank tunnels or passages 16a in which the propellers are arranged and, at the same time, provide the space 23 between these tunnel portions and ends of the baffle plates and communicate with the upper portion of the tank, whereby the fluid contents may flow from said central passage 23 in opposite directions above the baffle plates and thence downward through vertical passages 24, to be again acted upon by the propellers.

The upper wall or roof 3 of the tank 2 may be made flat, as shown, to facilitate the conveyance and depositing of the pulp bales into the tank, and to thisend a suitable bridge or runway 27 may extend to the top of the said tank whereby a helper may wheel the bales supported by a truck into position for discharge into the intake opening 5, such a helper being indicated at 28. It will be understood that any of the well known forms of chain conveyers may be utilized for cha-rging'the tank with the pulp bales, if so desired, in place of manual labor, and I, therefore, do not limit myself in this respect.

lIt is to be furtherunderstood that I do not limit myself to any special shape or manner of constructing the tank nor as to its size or proportions, but prefer a tank of approximately thirty feet-in length, fourteen feet high, and eleven or twelve feet across.

The propellers 19 and 20 may be more or less similar to ship propellers, but the blades thereof may be formed with sharper edges, and if desired, may havethe edges of the blades serrated and'sharp, as indicated at 20a in Fig. 3, said serrated edges acting to more quickly disintegrate the pulp, the serrations being directed toward the approaching currents of water and pulp. The pitch angle of the blades would be less where the speed of rotation of the shaft was' very great, but where the speed is less the pitch of the screw may be increased.

As shown, the propellers are arranged in two groups, namely, those indicated by the numeral 19 and those indicated by the numeral 20, the former being arranged in the tunnel under the baille plate 21, whereas the propellers 20 are arranged in the tunnel under the baffle plate 22. I, however, do not limit myself to the number of propellers, as one or more may be employed in each' set.

The operation of the apparatus will now be understood.y Assumin that the propellers were in full action, the uid contents of the tank will be put into violent circulation and as the same approaches the middle of the tank from each end, the impact of the fluid under the action of the propellers will force it upward through the central passage 23 and this again will be facilitated by the inclined perforated plates 8 at the bottom of the tank,

the inclination of which plates will cause the fluid content to flow upward and thereby positively assist in the upward circulation. The

fluid contents in the upper part of the tank.

will, therefore, be in a high state of agitation and the bales of ulp discharged into the tank will become builleted and put into circulation so as to be torn to pieces by the action of the propellers, and this action will be greatly facilitated b, the absorption of moisture by the pulp. The agitation is continued so long as any pulp is to be distintegrated to a condition capab e of passing through the apertures .in the plates 8. It will also be understood that where the requirement for paper stock ICO is continuous, this distintegrating machine A may be kept running continuously and be supplied with pulp from time to time, as may be required. The paper stock passing off from i the disintegrating tank through the outlet 6 and pipe 12 will be compensated for by additional ywater from the water pipe 26 and fur. ther pulp, as may be required.

By reason of the simultaneous double circulation of the pulp content, the same is not only disintegrated by each contact with the propellers, but the two currents of pulp are caused to forcibly impact upon each other at a place of great physical disturbance, whereby not only is the disintegration facilitated, but the fluid content with its pulp stock is caused to intermingle in such a thorough manner that stock which may be acted upon by the propellers 19 may be, n its next circuit, partly acted upon by the propellers 20, so

that a thoroughly uniform treatment lwill be Iof these meeting currents at the middle of the tank, so that the upward rush of the water and pulp increases the dist-integration and violently acts upon the incoming fresh pulp to prepare it for the disintegrating action of the propellers. The bale-plates 21 and 22, while forining the upper walls of the tunnels 16a, and insuring tht proper circulation, also act as binders or reinforcing means for the vertical walls of the tank and thereby greatly strengthen them.

While the circulation of the-two currents in opposite directions to provide the violent agitation at the middle of the tank is most important, it will be understood that the rotation of the propellers 19 and 20 will, in addition, cause rotation of the currents of Water and pulp and churn them up during their flow -through the tunnels or passages 16a so that the disintegrating effect upon the pulp will be greatly enhancedby this additional action upon the fluid contents of the tank.

While I prefer to employ one or more baffle plates 21 and 22 with two sets of disintegrating propellers 19 and 20, and with the propellers 19aand 2O operated by a continuous shaft as shown, I do not restrict myself in this respect, 'because the baille plates may be omitted,`if desired, and the two sets of disintegrating propellers 1 9 and 20 mounted vupon separate shafts 160 and 16d and redisintegration to be performed more quickly and with less consumption of power and hence more economically.

Moreover, the employment of two shafts and separate motors therefor permits the two sets of disintegrating propellers to be operated at relatively dierent speeds t-o provide dierent speeds of circulation, or to insure corresponding circulations with different sizes and pitches of propellers, as may be found desirable; and in the final stage, the completed product may be kept in clrculation by use of one set of propellers and one motor only.

Then the disintegrating treatment of the pulp is carried to completion before discharging the pulp stock to the pa er making machine, the screens 8 may e omitted, but where the process is continuous the screens are desirable.

While the object of my invention is more particularly to treat wood pulp for use in the making of more or less inexpensive characters of paper, I do not restrict myself in this respect, as the improvements are adapted for disintegrating pulp of any character suitable 'for paper making.

I have described my improved method and means in that particularity which I deem to be the best exposition of my invention and that which I prefer in commercial practice, but I do not restrict or confine myself to the minor or secondary details, as such are susceptible of modification, which may Cbe resorted to as matters of mechanical skill and without a departure from the spirit of theinvention.

Having now described my invention, 4what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described method for disintegrating pulp in the making of paper pulp stock for paper making machines, which consists in creating rapidly moving opposed currents of paper making pulp and water and thereby causing violent intermingling and agitation of the said currents of paper pulp and water, causing the violently agitated fluid bodies thus provided to act upon a mass of pulp material in a more or less dry condition and thereby induce a preliminary softening and disintegration' thereof and for carrying the said pulp into circulation, thereafter subjecting the softened pulp to a mechanical disintegrating action to more thoroughlybreak down the pulp and cause it to be intermingled with other fluid content to form a more or less homogeneous mixture, and continuing the treatment of mechanical disintegration whereby a desired subdivision of the pulp is obtained.

A2. The method stated in claim 1, whereiny further, an upward rushing of the fluids above the normal fluid level `when devoid of currents is caused by the violent agitation of the fluid currents produced by propelling a plurality of the fluid currents toward each other.

3. The method according to claim l, wherein further, the opposing currents comprise two currents forcibly moving 1n oppo baflles separated at the middle portion of the tank and from the ends of the tank, whereby the circulating .fluid is commingled and forced upward at the middle of the tank and between the baflle pla-tes.

5. In apparatus of' the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting dis integrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the tank is provided with transverse baffle partitions arranged at a higher level than the propellers and spaced apart at a place intermediate of the oppositely acting propellers, whereby the fluid currents from the two propellers, respectively below the baille partitions are forcibly intermingled and the fluid mixture subdivided and recirculated above the baflle partitions back to the propellers.

6. In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the tank is provided with transverse baille partitions spaced apart between the propellers and substantially below the inlet to the tank, and passageways are provided for thereturn of the fluid from said space between the partitions above the same and to the receiving sides of the propellers.

7 In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed cur rents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the tank is provided with transverse baille partitions spaced apart between the propellers and below the inlet to the tank, and the outlet from the tank is arranged be low the inlet and at a lower level than the baffle partitions.

8. In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the'tank is provided with transverse baille partitions spaced apartbetweenthepropellers and below the inlet to the tank, and the outlet from the tank is arranged below the inlet and at a lower level than the baflle partitions, said outlet provided with two oppositely inclined apertured plates for screening the outwardly flowing fluid.

9. In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having anpinlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed .currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the oppositely acting propellers include a plurality of each kind arranged in sets, and separate tunnels within the tank in alinement for the respective sets of propellers and said tunnels being open at each end to the upper y portion of the tank.

10. In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at'the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the oppositely acting propellers include a plurality of each kind arranged in set`s,land separate tunnels within thetank in alinement Afor the respective sets of propellers and said tunnels being open at each end to the upper portion of the tank, and wherein further, the inlet and outlet of the tank are arranged in substantial vertical alinement between the adjacent ends of the tunnels.

11. In apparatus of the character stated, the combination of a fluid containing tank having an inlet at the top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, oppositely acting disintegrating propellers rotating within the tank for producing violently opposed currents of the fluid therein, and wherein further, the propellers are provided with blades provided on their edges with relatively sharp serrations.

12. In apparatus of the character stated, a fluid containing tank having an inlet at its top and an outlet below the fluid level therein, combined with means for introducing fluid to the tank to compensate for that removed through the outlet, means for producing violently opposed currents of fluid, and

guiding means for said opposing currents comprising substantially horizontal passages uniting in a substantially vertical passage.

13. The invention according to claim 12, wherein further, the inlet is arranged above the vertical passage of the guiding means for the opposed currents and the outlet is arranged below the guiding means.

14. In apparatus of the character stated, an integral structure having a large tank capacity and a submerged tunnel having its opposite ends in communication with the tank portion above the tunnel whereby the water and contents may circulate continuously through the tunnel in one direction, said structure having an inlet at the top for introducing pulp material in bulk into the tank and having a controlled outlet from its lower portion, combined with disintegrating means arranged in the tunnel for forcing the fluid stock into violent agitation and disintegration while passing through the tunnel and causing the same to circulate through the tank and repeatedly through the tunnel in a substantially continuous manner.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

HARRY LIEBECK. 

